Photosensitive sheet support device for photographic apparatus



Apnl 12, 1966 R. WICK ETAL 3,245,291

PHOTOSENSITIVE SHEET SUPPORT DEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed Dec.

7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.7

V oooooo INVENTOR.

BY RICHARD WICK HANS ADO BRANDT MOM/l Q max/4A April 12, 1966 R. wlcK ETAL PHOTOSENSITIVE SHEET SUPPORT DEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

Fig.2

INVENTOR.

April 5 R. WICK ETAL PHOTOSENSITIVE SHEET SUPPORT DEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS 5, 1960 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec.

IN V EN TOR.

By RICHARD w1c1 HANS ADO BRANDT M Q $467k M W/q R. WICK ETAL PHOTOSENSITIVE SHEET SUPPORT DEVICE FOR IHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS April 12, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed Dec. 5, 1960 IN V EN TOR.

RICHARD WICK HANS ADO BRANDT M Q Aprll 12, 1966 R. WICK ETAL 3,245,291

PHOTOSENSITIVE SHEET SUPPORT DEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed Dec. 5, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.5

W l l HUI |i||| W N IN V EN TOR.

BY RICHARD w c HANS ADO BRANDT W 9 m WV,

Aprll 12, 1966 R. w|| ETAL 3,245,291

PHOTOSENSITIVE SHEET SUPPORT DEVICE FOR FHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed Dec. 5, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN V EN TOR.

y RICHARD WICK HANS ADO BRANDT W s. 9%

Aprll 12, 1966 w ETAL 3,245,291

PHOTOSENSITIVE SHEET SUPPORT DEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed Dec. 5, 1960 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Fig.7

IN V EN TOR.

y RICHARD WICK v HANS ADO BRANDT United States Patent 24 Claims. ((31. 8824) The present invention relates to photographic apparatus.

More particularly, the present invention relates to that type of photographic apparatus in which it is necessary to locate and maintain a light-sensitive sheet at a predetermined location.

For example, in photographic enlargers it is necessary to place the light-sensitive printing paper at a given location where it must be reliably maintained during exposure so as to make a print of a negative.

With photographic apparatus of this type the lightsensitive sheet is first placed manually in position and then a suitable holding means such as a force of suction is placed in operation so as to maintain the sheet in the desired position. However, after the sheet is manually placed in position and before the means such as the suction means starts to operate so as to hold the sheet in the desired position, it is possible for the sheet to move and thus it is not reliably maintained in the desired position.

It is accordingly one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a structure which will reliably maintain a light-sensitive sheet in a desired position without the possibility of such a sheet moving from this position before a device such as a suction means starts operating so as to automatically maintain the sheet in position.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a structure which will automatically terminate the operation of a means such as the suction means which holds the sheet in the desired position after the sheet has been exposed to a predetermined extent.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide for a structure of the above type a means for ejecting the sheet from the surface on which it is held by the suction means or the like after the latter has stopped operating, the invention guaranteeing that the ejection does not take place while a means such as the suction means is still operating to maintain the sheet at the desired location.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide for a structure of the above type an adjustable stop means easily positioned so as to properly locate the light-sensitive sheets of different sizes at a proper position for exposure as well as at a proper position with respect to a suction means or the like for holding the sheet irrespective of its size in a proper position for exposure.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an electrical assembly for electrically controlling in a fully automatic manner the components of an assembly of the type referred to above.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an exceedingly compact assembly of components of the type referred to above, this assembly being capable of being removably mounted in an enlarger or the like so as to be exchangeable with other assemblies.

With the above objects in view the present invention includes, in a photographic apparatus, a support means for supporting a light-sensitive sheet at a surface of the support means. A suction means cooperates with the 3,245,291 Patented Apr. 12, 1966 ice support means for maintaining the sheet at said surface thereof when the suction means operates, and a control means cooperates with the suction means to render the latter operative or inoperative. A movable means is located in the region of the above surface of the support means to be moved and actuated for actuating the operating means so as to render the suction means operative upon placement of the light-sensitive sheet in engagement with the above surface of the support means so that it is not possible for the sheet to move away from the proper position before the suction means operates to hold it against the surface of the support means.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a frame structure of a photographic enlarger provided with the structure of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the invention also in a top plan view outside of the frame structure of FIG. 1 and without some of the components shown in FIG. 1 so as to more clearly illustrate the structure of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a partly sectional perspective illustration of a sheet support means according to the present invention;

'FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale as compared with FIG. 2, taken along line IVIV of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken along line VV of FIG. 4 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of an ejector means shown in FIG. 1 and of control structure therefor shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a wiring diagram illustrating the electrical structure of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 in a top plan view the lower part of an enlarger which is a frame in the form of a hollow housing 1, this housing being relatively flat in configuration and housing in its interior a receptacle 2 in which are located various components of the structure of the invention as described below. This receptacle 2 is open at its top and is in the form of a dished member having a vertical side wall, a bottom wall, an open top, and a top flange surrounding the open top. The relatively square outline of the receptacle 2 is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2, while the manner in which it is positioned within the frame housing 1 is apparent from FIGS. 4 and 6. Within the housing 1 around the receptacle 2 are located electrical components of a photoelectric exposure controlling assembly which is described below and of which there appears in FIG. 1 only the photoelectric cell 3.

A support means according to the invention is provided for supporting at a surface thereof a light-sensitive sheet such as a sheet on which a photographic print is to be made, and this support means is located within the receptacle 2. The support means of the invention takes the form of a body 4 having the configuration shown most clearly in FIG. 3, this body being made of glass or a transparent plastic material. The upper surface 5 of the support means 4 is the surface at which the light-sensitive sheet is located, and this surface is matted or provided with a light-dispersing coating. The surface 5 is located at an opening formed in the upper wall 6 of the housing 1, this opening being of the same size and configuration as the upper surface 5 of the support means 4. The surface 5 in addition to serving as a support for a light-sensitive sheet also serves as a surface which receives an image of the negative before the light-sensitive sheet is exposed so that the operator can see how big this image is as well as check its sharpness so as to guarantee that a sharp image of the desired size will be available for reproduction on the light-sensitive printing paper which is thereafter placed on the surface in the proper position. The side surfaces of the support means 4 are covered with a layer of a light diffusing and reflecting material, except for the area 7 shown in FIG. 3. This area 7 is uncoated and serves as an exit window through which light which enters into the body 4 through the surface 5 may pass out of the body 4. The support means 4 is so positioned in the receptacle 2, as indicated in FIG. 1, that the area 7 is aligned with a window 8 formed in a side wall of the receptacle 2, and a photocell 3 is positioned in alignment with the window 8 so as to receive the light passing through the latter from the surface 7, and in this way the light which passes through a lightsensitive sheet on the surface 5 into the body 4 will be reflected from all of the surfaces thereof to the window 7 to discharge through the latter to the photocell 3 so that the latter is capable of measuring the extent to which a light-sensitive sheet is exposed.

A suction means cooperates with the support means 4 to maintain, when the suction means operates, a lightsensitive sheet at the surface 5 of the support means 4, and this suction means includes the suction openings 11 and 12 as well as the passages 9, 10, 13, 16, and 17 formed in the body 4, the passages 16 and 17 being only partly located in the body 4. The remainder of the passages 16 and 17 are located in a valve assembly shown in FIG. 4 and connected to the support means 4 in a manner described below. The passages 9 and 10- are endless and are horizontal, and the passage 9 communicates with the series of suction openings 11 which in turn communicates with the surface 5, while the passage 10 communicates with the suction openings 12 which also terminate at and communicate with the surface 5. For example, the passages in the body 4 may be formed by drilling. Especially the endless passages 9 and 10 may be made by drilling the body 4 and thereafter plugging up by transparent material those parts of the passages which extend from the outer surfaces of the body 4 to the endless part of said passages. The support means or body 4 is shown in FIG. 3 partly in section so as to clearly illustrate the arrangement of the passages and suction openings of the suction means.

The inner endless passage 9 communicates with the passage 13 shown in FIG. 3, and this passage 13 leads directly to the interior 14 (FIG. 5) of a valve means 15, 21 described in greater detail below. The arrangement of the passage 13 and the valve means 15, 21 is also illustrated in FIG. 4. The outer endless passage 10 communicates with a passage 16. This passage 16 is located directly over and is parallel to the passage 17 which leads to the passage 13, as is indicated most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4. A valve means 18 shown in FIG. 4 and described in greater detail below is provided for placing the passages 16 and 17 into or out of communication with each other, and when these passages 16 and 17 are placed in communication with each other by the valve means 18 the passage 10 will communicate through the passages 16 and 17 with the passage 13 so as to be placed in this way in communication with a source of suction which communicates with the passage 13 through the valve means 15, 21. Thus, when the passage 9 and the suction openings 11 communicating therewith are placed through the passage 13 and the valve means 15, 21 in communication with a source of suction it is possible according to the position of the valve 18 to place the passage 10 and the openings 12 into or out of communicaiton with the same source of suction.

Referring to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the valve means 15, 21 includes an elongated tubular member 19 to which a flexible tubular member 20 is connected, this flexible tubular member leading to a source of suction in the form of an unillustrated vacuum pump. The valve means 15, 21 further includes a rod 22 which is connected with the valve member 21 which is located in the valve chamber 14, and the rod 22 extends freely through a bore 23 of a sleeve 24 with considerable clearance, as is indicated in FIG. 5. The outer free end of the rod 22 is connected with an armature 25 of an electromagnetic means 26 which controls the valve means 15, 21, this assembly of the valve means 15, 21 and the electromagnetic means 26 forming a control means for controlling the suction means which includes the passages and openings formed in the support means 4.

When the magnet 26 is unenergized the valve member 21 engages and closes the right open end of the tubular member 19, as viewed in FIG. 5, this valve member being drawn into this position by the force of suction in the conduit 19, 20 and thus the valve means 15, 21 in the position shown in FIG. 5 maintains the chamber 14 separate from the source of suction and the passage 13 and all of the other passages which communicate therewith communicate with the outer atmosphere through thevalve chamber 14 and the bore 23 so that at this time there is no force of suction at the surface 5. When the electromagnetic means 26 is energized the armature turns in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 5, so as to move the valve member 21 to the right, as viewed in FIG. 5, into engagement with the left end of the sleeve 24 so as to close this left end of the sleeve and thus prevent the chamber 14 from communicating with the outer atmosphere while at the same time placing this chamber 14 in communication with the source of suction through the conduit 19, 20 so that the passage 13 and all other passages and openings communicating therewith also are placed in communication with the source of suction, and thus the suction means is rendered operative. As is particularly apparent from FIG. 4, the valve means 15, 21 and the carrier 27 which carries the electromagnetic means 26 are fixed by screws 28 and 29 directly to a side surface of the support means 4, and for the sake of compactness the side surface is undercut as shown at 30 in FIG. 4 so that in this way the structure will occupy the least possible amount of space.

A micro-switch 31, shown at the upper left portion of FIG. 2, is provided for energizing the electromagnetic means 26, and this micro-switch 31 includes a switch element 32 which is actuated by means of a lever 33. This lever 33 is fixed to a shaft 34 (FIG. 2) which is turnably supported in a suitable bore formed in the support means 4, and at the end of the shaft 34 which is distant from the lever 33 this shaft 4 is fixedly connected with a lever 35 which is located within a large enough cutout of the support means 4 to provide the desired extent of movement of the lever 35. This lever 35 is actuated by an elongated pin 36 which extends vertically through a suitable bore formed in the support means 4, the pin 36 engaging at its bottom end the lever 35 and having its top end extending outwardly beyond the surface 5 in the rest position of the parts. The upper end portion of the member 36 which extends above the surface 5 is clearly visible in FIG. 3. This elongated member 36 together with the parts 33-35 forms a movable means located in the region of the surface 5 where the light-sensitive sheet is to be located and cooperating with the switch 31 for actuating the latter so as to energize or de-energize the electromagnet 26 and thus operate the control means which controls the suction means of the invention. The lever 33 is connected with one end of a spring whose lower end is fixed to the floor of the receptacle 2, and this unillustrated spring urges the lever 33 to turn in that direction which locates the elongated member 36 in the position where its upper end portion extends upwardly beyond the surface 5. It should be noted that the lever 33 is linked with the switch element 32 through a pin-andslot connection or the like in such a way that when the left end of the lever 33, as viewed in FIG. 2, moves upwardly the element 32 moves upwardly to close the switch 31, and of course when this element 32 moves downwardly the switch is opened. Thus, when the elongated member 36 is moved downwardly the lever 33 will be turned in that direction which closes the switch 31. This downward movement of the member 36 will thus cause the electromagnetic means 26 to become energized. The structure is so arranged that the elongated member 36 can be moved downwardly, in order to close the switch 31, through a distance which locates the upper end of the element 36 flush with the surface 5 so that when the switch 31 is closed the element 36 does not extend upwardly beyond the surface 5.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, the valve means 18 includes a bearing member 39 which is fixed to the support means 4 by the screws 37 and 38 shown in FIG. 2. This bearing 39 of the valve means 18 has an elongated portion formed with a pair of bores which respectively form parts of the passages 16 and 17, as is apparent from FIG. 4. The bearing 39 serves to turnably support the rotary valve member 40 which is formed with a substantially U-shaped passage 41 the legs of which respectively form extensions of the passages 16 and 17 when the rotary valve member 40 is in the angular position shown in FIG. 4, so that in this particular angular position the passages 16 and 17 will communicate with each other through the valve member 40. When the valve member 40 is angularly displaced from the position indicated in FIG. 4 the passage 41 will no longer communicate with the passages 16 and 17 and these latter passages will therefore not communicate with each other. Thus, with the valve means 18 in the position indicated in FIG. 4 the passage can communicate through the passage 16, the passage 41, and the passage 17 with the passage 13, while when the valve member 40 is displaced from the position shown in FIG. 4 the passage 10 will no longer communicate with the passage 13. A disc 42 is fixed coaxially to the upper end of the valve member 40 and is accessible at the upper part of the valve means 18, this disc 42 being clearly visible in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the inner group of suction openings 11 are arranged along the outline of a geometric figure which in the illustrated example is a rectangle. The group of suction openings 12 are also arranged along the outline of a geometric figure, this latter geometric figure surrounding that along which the openings 11 are located, and in the illustrated example the geometric figure along whose outline the openings 12 are located is also a rectangle and has its center coinciding with the center of the rectangle along whose outline the openings 11 are located. Light-sensitive sheets of different sizes are adapted to be placed on the surface 5 of the support means 4, and FIG. 1 illustrates where the corners of the sheets of different sizes are located. Thus, FIG. 1 illustrates the four corners x of an area which will be covered by the largest light-sensitive sheet adapted to be used with the illustrated structure, this sheet having the size of 9 x 13 cm. It will be noted that this 9 x 13 sheet will cover the suction openings 12 as well as the suction openings 11. A light-sensitive sheet of an intermediate size of 7.4 x 10.4 cm. is also adapted to be used with the structure of the invention, and the corners of the area which will be covered by a sheet of this intermediate size are illustrated at y in FIG. 1. Finally, the smallest size light-sensitive sheet adapted to be used in the illustrated example is 9 x 9 cm., and the corners of the area covered by such a sheet are illustrated at z in FIG. 1. It Will be noted that irrespective of the particular size of the light-sensitive sheet, its center is always located at the same location in coincidence with the center of the geometric figures along whose outlines the openings 11 and 12 are located. As is apparent from FIG. 1, the openings 12 are only covered when the 9 x 13 sheet is placed on the surface 5. When the sheets of the intermediate and smaller sizes are placed on the surface 5, only the openings 11 are covered by the sheet.

An adjustable stop means is operatively connected with and cooperates with the support means 4 to position the light-sensitive sheet thereon, and this stop means takes the form of the angle member 43 shown in FIG. 1. Part of this stop means 43 is shown in FIG. 6 from which it is apparent that the stop means 43 has a horizontal wall spaced above the upper surface of the wall 6 of the housing 1 and the surface 5 of the support means 4. The stop means 43 has a lip extending downwardly from the periphery of the flat horizontal portion thereof whose outline is visible in FIG. 1, and it is the lower edge of this downwardly extending lip which engages and slides on the surface 5 and the upper surface of the wall 6. This arrangement provides a hollow space between the upper surface of the wall 6 and the lower surface of the horizontal wall of the stop means 43, and within this space are located cranks 44, 45 and 46 (FIG. 1) which are respectively turnable on stationary pins 47, 48, and 49 fixedly carried by and extending upwardly from the wall 6 into the space beneath the horizontal wall of the stop means 43. These cranks are respectively fixed at their ends distant from the pins 47-49 to pins which extend through openings formed in the horizontal wall of the stop means 43, and thus the cranks form a means connecting the stop means to the support means for adjustable movement with respect thereto. One of the pins which extends through an opening of the stop means 43 is shown at 50, and this pin is fixedly connected with a disc 51 accessible at the upper side of the stop means 43 and carrying an index 52 which cooperates with an arcuate scale 53 carried by the upper surface of the stop means 43 and arranged along the outer circular periphery of the disc 51. It will be noted that in the position shown in FIG. 1 the index 52 is in alignment with the graduation 9 x 13. The disc 51 may be turned upon swinging of this disc with the crank 45 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, until the index 52 is aligned with the graduation 7.4 x 10.4, and it will be noted that during such turning of the disc 51 with the crank 45 the cranks 44 and 46 will also necessarily turn in the same direction and to the same degree so that while the arms of the angle member extend in the same directions as those illustrated in FIG. 1, the angle member 43 is nevertheless displaced so that the intersection of its arms is aligned with the upper right hand corner y indicated in FIG. 1 when the index 52 is aligned with the graduation 7.4 x 10.4. The continued turning of the cranks will cause the stop means 43 to move back up toward the elevation indicated in FIG. 1 but further to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, and when the index 52 is aligned with the graduation 9 x 9 of the scale 53, the intersection of the arms of the stop means 43 will be aligned with the upper right hand corner z shown in FIG. 1. In this way the stop means of the invention is adjustable very quickly and easily to acommodate light-sensitive sheets of different sizes and to properly locate them so that their centers always coincide with the centers of the geometric figures along whose outlines the suction openings 11 and 12 are respectfully located.

As is apparent from the above description in connection with FIG. 1, it is necessary to provide suction through the outer group of suction openings 12 when a light-sensitive sheet of the largest size is applied to the surface 5, while when the other two smaller sizes of the light-sensitive sheet are used it is only necessary to apply suction through the suction openings 11. Therefore, it is only necessary to place the valve member 40 of the valve means 18 in the position indicated in FIG. 4 when the stop means 43 is in the position shown in FIG. 1 for cooperating with a 9 x 13 light-sensitive sheet. The stop means 43 is operatively connected with the disc 42 so as to automatically turn the latter to place the valve member 46 in the position shown in FIG. 4 only when the stop means 43 is in the position of FIG. 1. When this stop means is in its other two positions it automatically places the disc 42 in positions which locate the passage 41 out of alignment with the passages 16 and 17 so that there will be no suction applied through the openings 12 at this time. This connection of the stop means 43 with the valve means 18 is provided by a pin 55 which is fixed eccentrically to the disc 42 in the manner indicated in FIG. 2 and which extends upwardly through an opening formed in the stop means 43, as is apparent from FIG. 1. The wall 6 is formed with an arcuate slot 54 part of which is indicated in FIG. 4, this arcuate slot forming part of a circle whose center is in the common axis of the valve member 40 and the disc 42, and the pin 55 extends through the areuate slot which is formed in the wall 6, this slot being long enough to provide free turning of the member 55 about the common axis of the members 42 and 40 when the stop means 43 is adjusted, and in this way the valve means 18 will automatically be placed in the position as shown in FIG. 4 only when the stop means 43 has the position shown in FIG. 1.

The structure of the invention includes an ejector means 56 the outline of which is visible from FIG. 1, and the lip which extends downwardly from the horizontal wall of the stop means 43 is interrupted in front of the ejector means 56 so that this ejector means can advance toward the center of the surface for the purpose of ejecting therefrom a light-sensitive sheet after the sheet has been exposed. The interruption in the lip extending downwardly from the horizontal wall of the stop means 43 at the front end of the ejector means 56 is apparent from FIG. 6. The ejector means 56 is adapted to move to the left, as viewed in FIG. 6, from the position shown in FIG. 6 for the purpose of ejecting a sheet from the surface 5. As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, a pair of pins 57 and 58 are fixed to the horizontal wall of the stop means 43 and extend through the elongated slots 59 and 60 respectively formed in the ejector means 56 so as to guide the latter for movement.

An electromagnetic means 61, shown in FIG. 6, is provided for actuating the ejector means 56, and this electromagnetic means includes an armature 62 turnable downwardly from the position indicated in FIG. 6 when the electromagnetic means 61 is energized. The armature 62 carries an upwardly directed finger 63 which is located in the transverse slot 64 formed in the rear end of the ejector means 56, as is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 6, so that when the electromagnetic means 61 is energized the ejector means will be thrust forwardly to engage an edge of the light-sensitive sheet and eject the latter from the surface 5. The ejector means 56 is yieldably maintained by an unillustrated spring in the rest position shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, and of course the ejector means 56 is moved forward in opposition to this spring when the electromagnetic means 61 is energized.

As is particularly apparent from FIGS. 2 and 6, the electromagnetic means 61 is carried by a member 65 to which the electromagnet 61 is fixed. This member 65 is in the form of an elongated wall which extends vertically, and this wall fixedly carried a bracket on which the magnet 61 is mounted. The wall 65 is fixed at its upper end to a forwardly extending horizontal wall 66 which is formed with a transverse slot 69 shown in FIG. 2 and which has a downwardly directed front end portion, as is apparent from FIG. 6, and through aligned openings of the wall 65 and the downwardly directed front end portion of the wall 66 there extends an elongated guide pin 67 which is fixed at its rear end to a vertical wall of the receptacle 2, as is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6. In addition, there is besides the guide pin 67 a second pin 68 which extends through an opening of the vertical wall 65 and which is also fixed to the vertical 8 wall of the receptacle 2 in the manner shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. As is indicated in FIG. 2, the magnet 61 is located between the guide pins 67 and 68 on the vertical wall 65, while, as is apparent from FIG. 6, the guide pin 68 is at a lower elevation than and is shorter than the guide pin 67. These guide pins will of course cooperate with the members 65, 66 to guide the magnet 61 for movement to the left and right, as viewed in FIG. 6. A pin 76 is fixed to the horizontal wall of the stop means 43 and extends into the transverse slot 69 of the wall 66, as is apparent from FIGS. 2 and 6. The wall 6 is formed with a cutout 71 large enough to permit free and unobstructed movement of the pin 70 as well as the finger 63, this cutout 71 being shown in FIG. 6. Thus, when the stop means 43 is adjusted between its several positions described above in connection with FIG. 1, the pin 70 will necessarily move with the stop means 43 and this pin 70 will cooperate with the wall 66 to shift the wall 66 together with the wall 65 and the magnet 61 forwardly or rearwardly. This forward or rearward movement will of course correspond exactly to the forward or rearward movement of the ejector means 56 with the stop means 43 inasmuch as the pin 70 is fixed to the stop means 43, so that while the pin 63 may shift laterally along the slot 64 and the pin 70 may shift laterally along the slot 69, the positions of the electromagnetic means 61 and the ejector means 56 relative to each other in a left-and-right direction, as viewed in FIG. 6, remains unchanged. Thus, irrespective of the adjustment of the stop means 43, the electromagnetic means 61 Will always remain in its proper operative position with respect to the ejector means 56.

Referring now to FIG. 7, it will be seen that the electrical structure is connected through the lines 72 and 73 with a suitable source of alternating current. A full-wave rectifier 74 is connected with the lines 72 and 73 and is also connected electrically with a smoothing condenser 75 in the manner shown in FIG. 7, and in the current supplying lines 72 and 73 may be located a main switch for turning the entire structure on or off. A voltage divider 76, 77, 78 is connected electrically to direct curcent conductors 84 and connected with the full-Wave rectifier 74, and a thyratron 79 or other valve is electrically connected with the voltage divider 7678 in the manner shown in FIG. 7, this thyratron 79 forming part of the exposure controlling structure. Between the cathode and grid of the thyratron 79 is located the timing condenser 80, while between the grid and the anode of the thyratron 79 is connected the photocell 3, in the manner shown in FIG. 7. A starting switch 81 bridges or by passes the thyratron 79 by way of the conductor 83, and the switch 81 is adapted to be actuated in a well-known manner by a push-button 82 shown at the lower right of FIG. 1. This push-button 82 of course extends through the wall 6.

As is indicated at the right of FIG. 7, there is connected in series between the direct current conductors 84 and 85 the electromagnetic means 26 which actuates the suction valve 15, 21 as described above, the microswitch 31, and a switch 871), as indicated in FIG. 7. Also connected in series between the direct current conductors 84 and 85 are the electromagnetic means 61 for the ejector, a switch 87a, and the condenser 86. It will be noted from FIG. 7 that a relay 87 is connected in series with a condenser 88 between the conductors 84 and 85, and this relay 87 controls the switches 87a and 87b. A switch 891) is connected between the relay 87 and the condenser 88. This switch 89b is one of three switches controlled by the relay 89, this latter relay being located in the anode circuit of the thyratron 79. The switch 89a which is controlled by the relay 89 is connected by a conductor 92 between the line 84 and the line connecting the photocell 3 with the condenser 80. The third switch 890 which is controlled by the relay 89 is shown at the lower part of FIG. 7 in the circuit of the lamp 911 which is illuminated to make an exposure as well as for the purpose of providing an image for focusing and adjusting purposes.

Before the starting button 82 is depressed so as to close the switch 81, the parts are in the position indicated in FIG. 7. In this position current flows through the thyratron 79 and the relay 89 is energized, so that the switches 89a, 89b, and 89c are maintained in the positions illustrated in FIG. 7 by the energized relay 89. The valve 15, 21 at this time is in the position indicated in FIG. 5. The vacuum pump operates continuously, but since the valve is in the position indicated in FIG. the passages of the support means 4 are not in communication with the vacuum pump at this time.

The knob or disc 51 (FIG. 1) is turned so as to set the index 52 at that part of the scale 53 which will provide the desired format, as described above, and this operation will automatically determine whether or not the outer group of suction openings 12 will be connected with the vacuum pump, as was described above in connection with FIG. 4.

With the stop means 43 adjusted, the light-sensitive sheet such as the photographic printing paper which is to be exposed is placed on the surface 5 of the support means 4 in engagement with the stop means and is smoothed out. The placing of the light-sensitive sheet on the surface 5 causes the sheet to engage the elongated member 36 and to press the latter so as to close the switch 31 and thus energize the electromagnet 26 so as to actuate the valve means 15, 21 to shift the valve member 21 to the right from the position indicated in FIG. 5 for closing the passage 23 of the sleeve 24 and placing the suction pas sages of the support means 4 in communication with the source of suction. Thus, the suction means which is formed in part by the passages of the support means 4 acts at this time to hold the paper or other light-sensitive sheet forcefully against the surface 5 and the light-sensitive sheet itself under the influence of the suction means maintains the elongated member 36 depressed and thus the switch 31 closed and the electromagnet 26 energized during the entire process.

Now the operator depresses the starting button 82 so as to close the switch 81 and thus extinguish the thyratron 79. The current still flows through the relay 89 at this time, however. The operator only holds the button 82 down momentarily and then releases this button, so that it returns to its starting position under the influence of an unillustrated spring, and the switch 81 again opens, this latter switch also opening in response to the force of an unillustrated spring, and as a result the flow of current through the relay 89 is now interrupted. With this interruption in flow of the current through the relay 89 the switch 89a opens, the switch 8% turns to the left, as viewed in FIG. 7, so as to interrupt the connection be tween the condenser 88 and the relay 87 and instead connect this condenser to the resistor 91. Finally, the switch 890 moves to its closed position so as to energize the lamp 90 of the unillustrated enlarger, and thus the exposure of the light-sensitive sheet begins. The light which passes through this sheet into the support means 4 will be transmitted to the photocell 3, in the manner described above, so that the timing condenser 88 will be charged, and in addition it will be noted that the condenser 88 will be discharged through the resistor 91.

When the charge of the timing condenser 80 has reached the predetermined level for which it is set, the thyratron 79 becomes energized so as to again energize the relay 89 and thus the switches 89a, 89b and 890 return to their starting positions illustrated in FIG. 7. Thus, the lamp 90 is extinguished and the exposure terminates. At the same time, the timing condenser 88 discharges through the conductor 92, and the condenser 88 is now charged through the relay 87 so that this relay now receives a short pulse of current and for a short time actuates the switches 87a and 87b so as to open the switch 87b for a short time and so as to connect the condenser 86 for a short time to the resistor 93. In this way the flow of current through the electromagnetic means 26 is interrupted and the valve member 21 returns to the position indicated in FIG. 5 so that the passages of the support means 4 are no longer in communication with the source of vacuum and communicated instead through the passage 23 with the outer atmosphere. With the interruption of the force of suction acting on the light-sensitive sheet and the placing of the passages of the support means 4 in communication with the outer atmosphere, the spring which acts on the lever 33 now moves the latter so as to open the switch 31 and at the same time the member 36 moves upwardly beyond the surface 5 so as to raise the light-sensitive sheet where it engages the member 36 away from the surface 5.

Of course, during the short energizing of the relay 87 the switch 8741 by placing the condenser 86 in connection with the resistor 93 enables the condenser 86 to discharge through the resistor 93, so that when the switch 87a returns to its starting position shown in FIG. 7 the condenser 86 again becomes charged and in this way provides a short pulse of current through the ejector magnet means 61 which now becomes energized so as to attract the armature 62 and actuate the ejector means 56. The ejector means 56 now moves along the surface 5 and ejects the light-sensitive sheet therefrom. Inasmuch as the electromagnetic means 26 is de-energized after energizing of the relay 87 while the electromagnetic means 61 only becomes energized when the relay 87 thereafter is de-energized, the arrangement of the invention provides a short delay in the operation of the electromagnetic means 26 and 61 to the extent that these electromagnetic means cannot operate simultaneously and must operate in such a way that the electromagnetic means 61 can only become energized after the electromagnetic means 26 has first become energized and then has become de-energized, so that in this way the ejector means 56 cannot operate before the passages of the support means 4 communicate with the outer atmosphere, and therefore it is not possible for the ejector means to act on the light-sensitive sheet while it is held by suction against the surface 5.

The parts have now returned to their rest or starting position. Since the flow of current through the thyratron 79 is maintained even after discharge of the timing condenser so as to cause the relay 89 to remain energized, the switches of FIG. 7 remain in the position illustrated in FIG. 7 until the next operation.

The relay 87 can be connected in parallel with a resistor 94 by the manually operable switch 95 so that the relay 87 is shunted, and thus is not energized after the exposure of the light-sensitive sheet has progressed to the degree for which the apparatus is set. The light-sensitive sheet will therefore remain held against the surface 5 by suction even after the predetermined exposure of the light-sensitive sheet is completed and the light-sensitive sheet will not be ejected. The release of the sheet and the above described operations which take place after the condenser 80 has been charged to the predetermined level Will now only occur upon movement of the switch 96 from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position where the resistor 91 will be connected by the switch 96 to the relay 87. The switch 96 is operated manually. This type of operation is used when after a light-sensitive sheet has been exposed to the extent provided by the automatic exposure-regulating structure referred to above, it is desired to provide additional exposure, the switch 97 shown at the lower part of FIG. 7 being closed at this time so as to illuminate the lamp 90.

As was pointed out above, the light which passes through the light-sensitive sheet into the support means 4 will be reflected by the surfaces of the latter through the window 7 to pass to the photoelectric cell 3. The various passages formed in the support means 4 as well as the elements 33-36 do not have any significant influence on the transmission of the light to the window 7.

The part of the surface 5 Which surrounds the inner group of openings 11 may be provided with an opaque mask so that irrespective of the size of the paper or other 1 1 light-sensitive sheet placed on the surface the photocell 3 will receive the light passing through the portion of the surface 5 within the area along whose outline the openings 11 are located, and it thus becomes unnecessary to provide diiferent masking arrangements for different formats. As was pointed out above, the surface 5 is matted so that an image of the negative which is to be printed can be reproduced at the surface 5 both for focus ing purposes and for adjusting the size of the print before the light-sensitive paper is placed on the surface 5, and instead of a matted surface it is possible to arrange within the area surrounded by the openings 11 a sheet of paper, for example, having the form of a grid so that a relatively large amount of free space is left between portions of the paper through which the light will pass, while the portions of the paper itself provide enough of a surface for determining the proper focusing and adjusting of the enlarger.

By the arrangement of the support means 4, the valve means 15, 21 and its electromagnetic means 26 as well as the electromagnetic means 61 within the receptacle 2, a single unitary assembly is provided which is easily placed in or removed from the enlarger as a unit so that, for example, one unit may be exchanged for another unit. In order to render the unit easily exchangable, the contact strip 98 (FIG. 2) is provided at the exterior of the receptacle 2 mounted on a side wall thereof, and the unillustrated conductors which are connected to the electromagnets 26 and 61 are connected with the contact strip 98. This contact strip 98 takes the form of a terminal strip which cooperates when the receptacle 2 is placed within the housing 1 with a corresponding, complementary, unillustrated contact strip. For example, the strip 98 may have prongs which are respectively received in mating openings of a contact strip within the housing 1 when the receptacle 2 is placed therein so that the electrical connections are very easily made when the receptacle 2 is introduced into the housing 1.

Of course, the principle of starting the suction in response to depression of the elongated member 36 may be used in other arrangements instead of that where a transparent support means 4 is provided. For example, this principle may be used where the support means is in the form of a simple plate receiving the light-sensitive sheet and where the photocell 3 receives the light which is to measured from suitable reflectors or the like. For example, there may be arranged over the supporting surface which supports the light-sensitive sheet a semi-transparent reflector through which the light passes to the light-sensitive sheet and which at the same time directs light to the photocell to be measured thereby. With such an arrangement also the member 36 may be actuated to start the suction in the manner described above.

Of course, a push-button or the like may be used instead of the elongated member 36, and it is not absolutely essential that the member 36 be located in that part of the surface 5 which is surrounded by the openings 11 and 12. Instead the member 36 may be arranged beyond the region of the suction openings. Of course in this case a device would be provided to hold the member 36 depressed until it is desired to release the suction after a predetermined exposure has been made. The member 36 can in this case be located adjacent the surface which supports the light-sensitive sheet, and the microswitch 31 can be located directly beneath the member 36 with such an arrangement. However, the above-described construction where the member 36 is arranged as shown in the drawings is preferred since in this way it is the lightsensitive sheet itself which actuates the member 36 and guarantees that it remains depressed.

Of course, more than two groups of suction openings 11 and 12 may be provided, and these openings need not be arranged along rectangular outlines. For example, they may be arranged along the outlines of any other desired geometric figures such as ellipses, etc.

Furthermore, it is not essential to provide cranks for adjusting the stop means 43. Suitable pin-and-slot connections may be provided for guiding the stop means 43. Of course, the above-described arrangement of different formats with rectangular geometric outlines having a common center point and the above-described arrangement for guiding the stop means 43 for movement can be used with structures where the light-sensitive sheet is not held on the surface of the support mean 5 by a pneumatic structure. Moreover, the above-described structure can be built permanently into the the apparatus, if desired.

The use of the above-described structure is not limited to photographic printing paper which is to be exposed so as to make photographic reproductions from negatives. This structure is also capable of being used with other photographic devices such as, for example, devices for observing photographs and devices used in the reproduction and X-ray fields.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of photographic devices differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in enlargers, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended Within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus, preferably for photographic purpose, in combination, support means for supporting a sheet at a surface of said support means; suction means cooperating with said support means for sucking the sheet against said surface thereof; control means operatively connected to said suction means for rendering the same active when said control means is actuated and for rendering said suction means inactive when said control means is not actuated; and movable means operatively connected to said control means for actuating the same and movable between a rest position where said control means is not actuated and an operating position where said control means is actuated by movement of said movable means from said rest to said operating position thereof, at least a part of said movable means being located at said surface of said support means to be covered by said sheet when the latter is placed at said surface and said movable means being movable from said rest position to said operating position, during location of the sheet against said surface, to actuate said control means and thus render said suction means active.

2. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, support means for supporting a light-sensitive sheet at a surface of said support means; suction means cooperating with said support means for sucking the sheet against said surface thereof; control means cooperating with said suction means for rendering the same active when said control means is actuated and for rendering said suction means inactive when said control means is not actuated; and movable means operatively connected to said control means for actuating the same and movable between a rest position where said control means is not actuated and an operating position where said control means is actuated to render said suction means active, said movable means including an elongated longitudinally movable member intersecting and being substantially perpendicular to said surface of said support means to be moved by a lightsensitive sheet from said rest position to said operating position when the sheet is placed against said surface.

3. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, support means for supporting a light-sensitive sheet at a surface of said support means; suction means cooperating with said support means for sucking the sheet against said surface thereof; control means cooperating with said suction means for rendering the same active when said control means is actuated and for rendering said suction means inactive when said control means is not actuated; and movable means operatively connected to said control means for actuating the same and movable between a rest position where said control means is not actuated and an operating position where said control means is actuated to render said suction means active, said movable means including an elongated longitudinally movable member intersecting and being substantially perpendicular to said surface of said support means, said elongated member in said rest position of said movable means projecting beyond said surface so as to be engageable by said sheet when the latter is placed at said surface and said movable member being movable to a position where a free end of said movable member is flush with said surface to place said movable means in its operating position so that the location of the sheet against said surface moves said movable member longitudinally for placing said movable means in said operating position thereof to actuate said control means and thus render said suction means active.

4. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, support means for supporting a light-sensitive sheet at a surface of said support means; suction means cooperating with said support means for sucking the sheet against said surface thereof; control means cooperating with said suction means for rendering the same active when said control means is actuated and for rendering said suction means inactive when said control means is not actuated; and movable means operatively connected to said control means for actuating the same and movable between a rest position where said control means is not actuated and an operating position where said control means is actuated to render said suction means active, said movable means including an elongated longitudinally movable member intersecting and being substantially perpendicular to said surface of said support means, said elongated member in said rest position of said movable means projecting beyond said surface so as to be engageable by said sheet when the latter is placed at said surface and said movable. member being movable to a position where a free end of said movable member is flush with said surface to place said movable means in its operating position so that the location of the sheet against said surface moves said movable member longitudinally for placing said movable means in said operating position thereof to actuate said control means and thus render said suction means active, the force of suction of said suction means on the light-sensitive sheet maintaining the latter against said surface and said sheet when thus maintained against said surface acting on said movable member to maintain said movable means in its operating position.

5. In a photographic apparatus as recited in claim 2, said support means including a body through which light can pass, and photocell means cooperating with said body for measuring the light passing through the latter after the light has passed through a sheet located against said surface.

6. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, a transparent body through which light can pass, said body having a surface at which a light-sensitive sheet is adapted to be located and said body being formed with passages communicating with said surface so that when a suction force is provided through said passages a sheet on said surface will be held thereagainst by the force of suction; valve means cooperating with said passages for placing the latter in communication with a source of suction when said valve means is open and for disconnecting said passages from the source of suction when said valve means is closed; operating means cooperating with said valve means for operating the latter, said operating means itself being actuated by said sheet; and movable means cooperating with said operating means for actuating the latter, said movable means being in a rest position when said operating means is in a rest position and said valve means is closed and said movable means being movable from said rest position to an active position actuating said operating means to place said valve means in said open position thereof, said movable means being located below said surface of said body.

7. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, a transparent body through which light can pass, said body having a surface at which a light-sensitive sheet is adapted to be located and said body being formed with passages communicating with said surface so that when a suction force is provided through said passages a sheet on said surface will be held thereagainst by the force of suction; valve means cooperating with said passages for placing the latter in communication with a source of suction when said valve means is open and for disconnecting said passages from the source of suction when said valve means is closed; operating means cooperating with said valve means for operating the latter; and movable means cooperating with said operating means for actuating the latter, said movable means being in a rest position when said operating means is in a rest position and said valve means is closed and said movable means being movable from said rest position to an active position actuating said operating means to place said valve means in said open position there-of, said movable means being located adjacent said surface of said body, said movable means including an elongated longitudinally movable member extending substantially perpendicularly to said surface and said body being formed with an elongated opening in which said member is movable, and said movable member in the rest position of said movable means being located in the path of movement of a light-sensitive sheet when the latter is placed against said surface to be moved by the sheet for moving said movable means to said active position thereof.

8. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, a transparent body through which light can pass, said body having a surface at which a light-sensitive sheet is adapted to be located and said body being formed with passages communicating with said surface so that when a suction force is provided through said passages a sheet on said surface will be held thereagainst by the force of suction; valve means cooperating with said passages for placing the latter in communication with a source of suction when said valve means is open and for disconnecting said passages from the source of suction when said valve means is closed; automatic means responding automatically to the placing of a light-sensitive sheet on said surface and operatively connected to said valve means for opening the latter automatically upon placing of a sheet on said surface, said passages including two groups of suction openings respectively arranged along a pair of geometric outlines corresponding to the outlines of the light-sensitive sheets of different configurations to be placed against said surface and said suction openings communicating with said surface; and means cooperating with one of said groups of suction openings for selectively placing the lat ter in communication with or out of communication with the source of suction.

9. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, a transparent body having a surface at which a light-sensitive sheet is adapted to be placed, said body being formed with a plurality of passages and with a plurality of suction openings communicating with said passages and with said surface of said body so that when said passages and openings are placed in communication with a source of suction a light-sensitive sheet will be held by the suction against said surface, said suction openings being arranged in a pair of groups with the openings of each group located along the outline of a geometric figure, said geometric figures having a common center at said surface and one of said groups of openings being located within the outline along which the other of said groups is arranged so that said other group forms an outer group of openings while said one group forms an inner group of openings; Valve means cooperating with said outer group of openings for selectively placing the latter into or out of comunication with a source of suction when said inner group of openings is in communication with the source of suction; and stop means located adjacent and adjustable with respect to said surface of said transparent body for determining the position of a sheet thereon according to the size of said sheet so that the center of the sheet coincides with said common center, said stop means being operatively connected to said valve means for automatically actuating the same to place said outer group of openings in communication with said source of suction only when the sheet is large enough to cover said outer group of openings.

10. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, a transparent body having a surface at which a light-sensitive sheet is adapted to be placed, said body being formed with a plurality of passages and with a plurality of suction openings communicating with said passages and with said surface of said body so that when said passages and openings are placed in communication with a source of suction a light-sensitive sheet will be held -by the suction against said surface, said suction openings being arranged in a pair of groups with the openings of each group located along the outline of a geometric figure, said geometric figures having a common center at said at said surface and one of said groups of openings being located within the outline along which the other of said groups is arranged so that said other group forms an outer group of openings while said one group forms an inner group of openings; value means cooperating with said outer group of openings for selectively placing the latter into or out of communication with a source of suction when said inner group of openings is in communication with the source of suction, said passages including a pair of endless passage portions in said body respectively communicating with said pair of groups of suction openings; and stop means located adjacent and adjustable with respect to said surface of said transparent body for determining the position of a sheet thereon according to the size of said sheet so that the center of the sheet coincides with said common center, said stop means being operatively connected to said valve means for automatically actuating the same to place said outer group of openings in communication with said source of suction only when the sheet is large enough to cover said outer group of openings.

11. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, a transparent body having a surface against which a lightsensitive sheet is adapted to be located, said body being formed in its interior with a pair of passages and said body also being formed with a first group of suction openings leading from one of said passages to said surface and a second group of suction openings leading from the other of said passages to said surface, said first group of suction openings forming an inner group and being located along the outline of a given geometric figure and said second group of suction openings forming an outer group and being arranged along the outline of a second geometric figure within which the first group of suction openings are located, and said body being formed with a third passage leading from said one passage which communicates with said inner group of suction openings to a source of suction, and said body being formed with a pair of additional passages respectively leading from the other of said first-mentioned pair of passages which communicates with said outer group of suction openings and from said third passage to the exterior of said body;

valve means cooperating with said additional pair of passages for placing them in communication with each other when said valve means is open and for separating them from each other when said valve, means is closed whereby when said valve means is open said outer group of suction openings will communicate through said third passage with the source of suction while when said valve means is closed said outer group of suction openings will be maintained out of communication with the source of suction; and stop means located adjacent and adjustable with respect to said surface of said transparent body for determining the position of a sheet thereon according to the size of said sheet so that the center of the sheet coincides with said common center, said stop means being operatively connected to said valve means for automatically actuating the same to place said outer group of openings in communication with said source of suction only when the sheet is large enough to cover said outer group of openings.

12. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, a transparent body having a surface against which a lightsensitive sheet is adapted to be located, said body being formed in its interior with a pair of passages and said body also being formed with a first group of suction openings leading from one of said passages to said surface and a second group of suction openings leading from the other of said passages to said surface, said first group of suction openings forming an inner group and being located along the outline of a given geometric figure and said second group of suction openings forming an outer group and being arranged along the outline of a second geometric figure within which the first group of suction openings are located, and said body being formed with a third passage leading from said one passage which communicates with said inner group of suction openings to a source of suction, and said body being formed with a pair of additional passages respectively leading from the other of said first-mentioned pair of passages which communicates with said outer group of suction openings and from said third passage to the exterior of said body; valve means cooperating with said additional pair of passages for placing them in communication with each other when said valve means is open and for separating them from each other when said valve means is closed, whereby when said valve means is open said outer group of suction openings will communicate through said third passage with the source of suction while when said valve means is closed said outer group of suction openings will be maintained out of communication with the source of suction; stop means located adjacent and adjustable with respect to said surface of said transparent body for determining the position of a sheet thereon according to the size of said sheet so that the center of the sheet coincides with said common center, said stop means being operatively connected to said valve means for automatically actuating the same to place said outer group of openings in communication with said source of suction only when the sheet is large enough to cover said outer group of openings; second valve means communicating with said third passage for placing the latter in communication with the source of suction when said second valve means is open and for closing said third passage from the source of suction when said second valve means is closed; electromagnetic means cooperating with said second valve means for opening the latter when said electromagnetic means is energized, said second valve means being closed when said electromagnetic means is energized; and switch means cooperating with said electromagnetic means for energizing and deenergizing the same, said switch means including a switch operating member located in the region of said surface of said body.

13. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, a transparent body having a surface at which a light-sensitive sheet is adapted to be located, said body being formed with an inner group of suction openings communicating with said surface and arranged along the outline of a first geometric figure and with an outer group of suction openings also communicating with said surface and arranged along the outline of a second geometric figure within which said first geometric figure is located, said body being formed with a first passage means communicating with said inner group of suction openings and with a second passage means communicating with said outer group of suction openings and with said first passage means; first valve means cooperating with said first passage means for placing the latter in communication with a source of suction when said first valve means is open; second valve means communicating with said second passage means for opening and closing the latter when said second valve means is open and closed, respectively, at least one of said valve means being carried by said body; and stop means located adjacent and adjustable with respect to said surface for determining the position of a sheet thereon, said stop means being operatively connected to said second valve means for automatically positioning the latter to open said second passage means only when the sheet is large enough to cover said outer group of openings.

14. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, support means having a surface at which a light-sensitive sheet is adapted to be located; angular stop means cooperating with said surface of said support means and adapted to be engaged by edges of a light-sensitive sheet for determining the location of the latter at said surface of said support means; and adjusting means interconnecting said stop means with said support means for adjustable movement with respect to said surface thereof, said adjusting means cooperating with said stop means for positioning the latter at locations which will place the centers of light-sensitive sheets of different configurations at the same point of said surface of said support means, said adjusting means including a plurality of crank members each having one end portion pivotally connected to said support means and an opposite end portion pivotally connected to said stop means.

15. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, support means having a surface at which a light-sensitive sheet is adapted to be located; suction means communicating with said surface for holding a sheet thereagainst by suction; valve means cooperating with said suction means for rendering the same active when said valve means is open and inactive when said valve means is closed; stop means cooperating with said surface of said support means and with a sheet located at said surface for determining the position of said sheet at said surface; adjusting means interconnecting said stop means with said support means for adjusting said stop means with respect to said surface; and means connecting said stop means to said valve means for operating the latter to open or close said valve means according to the position of said stop means, said stop means having its position determined by the sheet itself.

16. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, support means having a surface at which a light-sensitive sheet is adapted to be located; stop means cooperating with said surface for engaging a sheet to determine the location thereof at said surface; adjusting means interconnecting said stop means with said support means for adjusting the position of said stop means with respect to said surface; ejector means carried by said means for ejecting a sheet from said surface; electromagnetic means operatively engaging said ejector means for actuating the latter; and means interconnecting said stop means with said electromagnetic means for moving the latter together with said stop means and ejector means when said stop means is adjusted with respect to said surface and for maintaining of said electromagnetic means in operative engagement with said ejector means during adjustment of said stop means.

17. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, support means having a surface at which a light-sensitive sheet is adapted to be located; stop means cooperating with said surface and having an elongated edge for engaging a sheet to determine the location thereof at said surface; adjusting means interconnecting said stop means with said support means for adjusting the position of said stop means with respect to said surface; ejector means carried by said stop means for ejecting a sheet from said surface; electromagnetic means operatively engaging said ejector means for shifting the latter perpendicularly of and beyond said edge when said electromagnetic means is energized; connecting means interconnecting said stop means with said electromagnetic means for moving the latter together with said stop means and ejector means in a direction extending perpendicularly of said edge when said stop means is adjusted with respect to said surface so that the position of said electromagnetic means perpendicularly of said edge with respect to said ejector means remains unchanged during adjustment of said stop means; and stationary guide means guiding said electromagnetic means for free movement perpendicularly of said edge, said connecting means including a pin-and-slot connection interconnecting said stop means with said electromagnetic means and having a slot extending parallel to said edge for moving said electromagnetic means along said guide means during adjusting movement of said stop means with respect to said surface while providing relative movement parallel to said edge between said stop means and electromagnetic means for maintaining said electromagnetic means in operative engagement with said ejector means during adjustment of said stop means.

18. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, support means for supporting a light-sensitive sheet; ejector means located adjacent said support means for ejecting a light-sensitive sheet therefrom after the sheet has been exposed; electromagnetic means operatively connected to said ejector means for actuating the same; a source of direct current voltage; circuit means connected with said source and including a condenser and a normally closed switch means in series with said electromagnetic means for charging said condenser and simultaneously energizing said electromagnetic means as long as said condenser is charged while said switch means is closed; a first relay connected to said source for moving, when energized, said switch means to an open position; second switch means in circuit with said first relay for de-energizing, when in a normal first position, said first relay, and alternatively, energizing, when moved to a second position, said first relay; and a second relay in circuit with said source for moving, when energized, said second switch means from said first to said second position; and photoelectric control means for causing energization of said second relay depending upon illumination of said photoelectric control means by light illuminating said light-sensitive sheet.

19. In a photographic apparatus as recited in claim 18 and wherein a second condenser is electrically connected with said second switch means for providing de-energizing and energizing of said first relay across said second condenser.

20. In a photographic apparatus as recited in claim 18, suction means cooperating with said support means for maintaining a light-sensitive sheet thereagainst; electromagnetic suction valve means cooperating with said suction means for controlling the latter; and third switch means operable by said first relay for controlling said electromagnetic suction valve means.

21. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, support means for supporting a light-sensitive sheet; suction means cooperating with said support means for holding a sheet against a surface thereof by suction; ejector means cooperating with said support means for ejecting a sheet from said surface thereof; a pair of electromagnetic means respectively cooperating with said suction means and ejecting means for respectively actuating the same; and contro means cooperating with said pair of electromagnetic means for energizing the electromagnetic means which operates said ejector means only after the electromagnetic means which operates said suction means is de-energized so that said suction means is inoperative and does not hold the sheet against said surface of said support means when said ejector means is actuated.

22. In a photographic apparatus as recited in claim 18, a manually operable switch connected in parallel with said first relay for rendering the latter inoperative when energization of said electromagnetic means is undesirable.

23. In a photographic apparatus as recited in claim 18, a manually operable switch connected in parallel with said second switch means for causing energization of said first relay irrespective of the operation of said second switch means.

24. In a photographic apparatus, in combination, support means for supporting a light-sensitive sheet at a surface of said support means; suction means operativcly connected to said support means for suckingthe sheet against said surface thereof; and automatic means oper References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,203,035 10/1916 Mueller 95-73 1,488,555 4/1924 Ridings 95-73 1,745,900 2/1930 Lowen 88-24 2,317,348 4/1943 Wekeman 88-24 2,630,743 2/1953 OKane 352-222 X 2,660,919 12/1953 Keinath et al 88-24 2,895,706 7/1959 Blatherwick 248-363 2,914,289 11/1959 Schutt 248-363 2,951,430 9/1960 Dumke et al. 88-24 3,002,425 10/ 1961 Biedermann et al 88-24 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

EMIL G. ANDERSON, Examiner. 

1. IN AN APPARATUS, PREFERABLY FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSE, IN COMBINATION, SUPPORT MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A SHEET AT A SURFACE OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS; SUCTION MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR SUCKING THE SHEET AGAINST SAID SURFACE HEREOF; CONTROL MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID SUCTION MEANS FOR RENDERING THE SAME ACTIVE WHEN SAID CONTROL MEANS IS ACTUATED AND FOR RENDERING SAID SUCTION MEANS INACTIVE WHEN SAID CONTROL MEANS IS NOT ACTUATED; AND MOVABLE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CONTROL MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE SAME AND MOVABLE BETWEEN A REST POSITION WHERE SAID CONTROL MEANS IS NOT ACTUATED AND AN OPERATING POSITION WHERE SAID CONTROL MEANS IS ACTUATED BY MOVEMENT OF SAID MOVABLE MEANS FROM SAID REST TO SAID OPERATING POSITION THEREOF, AT LEAST A PART OF SAID MOVABLE MEANS BEING LOCATED AT SAID SURFACE OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS TO BE COVERED BY SAID SHEET WHEN THE LATTER IS PLACED AT SAID SURFACE AND SAID MOVABLE MEANS BEING MOVABLE FROM SAID REST POSITION TO SAID OPERATING POSITION, DURING LOCATION OF THE SHEET AGAINST SAID SURFACE, TO ACTUATE SAID CONTROL MEANS AND THUS RENDER SAID SUCTION MEANS ACTIVE. 